Mrs. Pollitt's Mission Statement

My Mission is to:

 

 

C          Create a Caring, Compassionate, and  Consistent Classroom,

where every student is….

 

A         Accepted, Acknowledged, and Affirmed

and taught to be….

 

R         Respectful, Reliable, Responsible and Resourceful

in an

 

E          Environment that Encourages all to pursue Excellence in Every Endeavor.

 

 

 Mrs. Pollitt

K-6 Vocal Music

Noteworthy News-Sept. 30

Thank you to all who supported the music fundraiser this year.
The 6th graders sold $3854.00 worth of magazine subscriptions and brought in 30 reach out booklets.
Ryann Sander was our top seller with over $600 in sales and Abby Nelson was second in orders sold.
Way to go, 6th graders!!  What a team effort.

I am putting out a call for a few volunteers to help me in the next few weeks.
I am in need of some help with filing and filling out of assessment sheets.
Please contact me by phone 444-4300 ext. 351 or by email: amy.pollitt@bkcsd.org if you are willing to be of assistance.  Thank you in advance!!

Assessment update:
All of the 2nd, 3rd, 4th, 5th, and 6th graders have finished their first music assessment.
Kdgn and First graders will complete their first standards testing this week.
Look for assessment cards in your child's portfolio at first quarter conferences.

Lesson plans:

Kdgn: Students will continue working on voice placement, tone matching, and keeping steady beat.
Material: The Kermit Toss game, Doggie, Doggie, Where's my Bone? the Hiding game, Pause, and rhythm stick routines.

First and Second grade: Students continue working on folk songs and singing games.
Material: Paw-Paw patch, If You're Happy and You Know It, This Old Man and The Fire Song.
Tone matching ;Sol, Mi, and Do.  Reading rhythmic patterns with quarter rests.

Third grade:Students will be working on their Star Spangled Banner unit this week.
Learning the melody and rhythm, identifying new vocabulary terms, playing charades to act out vocabulary, measuring the flag of Ft. McHenry outside with meter sticks, and viewing Internet sites to see pictures of the flag, Francis Scott Key, Ft. McHenry, and Mary Pickersgill-the creator of the flag.  Students will also create a paper flag of 1812, identify the 15 states in the union at that time and complete a vocabulary worksheet.  Students will also be working on the Bronco Fight Song.

Fourth grade: Students will continue working on the lines and spaces of the treble clef.  Work study stations will be used on one class period.  Pre-testing worksheet and game of Human Staff will be played.  Students will play Fireman Fred, playing boomwackers and xylophones while reading the song.  Students will begin their accompaniment composition with the song Jack-o-lantern on xylophones and keyboards.

Fifth and Sixth grade: Students will be working on their new unit-American composer John Philip Sousa and his march "The Stars and Stripes Forever." Students will learn the form by creative marching, read a percussion chart and play it on four different instruments- reading quarter notes and rests.  Students will create their own listening maps for the march, identifying the three different melodic themes.
Students will view the video "The New Sousa Band" and read a short biography about Sousa's life and complete a crossword puzzle with new vocabulary terms.

5th grade chorus:  This Old Man, Bronco Fight Song, Watah Come a me Eye, America, and God Bless America.

6th grade chorus: This Old Man, Watah Come a me Eye, Song of the Unsung Hero, and God Bless America.

Jacobson Elementary Music Concert Dates 2012-2013

Jacobson Elementary Music Concert Dates 2012-2013

 

Friday, December 13, 2012

K-4 Christmas Concert “It’s the Most Wonderful Time of the Year”

4:00 P.M. ( Please note time change from previous years)

Luick Memorial Auditorium

 

Tuesday, February 12, 2013

5/6 Mid-Winter Concert

7:00 P.M.

Luick Memorial Auditorium

 

Monday, February 25, 2013 (Snow date: Mon. March 4)

North Central Elementary Honor Choir

7:00 P.M.

NIACC Auditorium-Mason City

This event is for a selected group of eight 6^th grade singers.

 

Tuesday, March 12, 2013

K-3 Elementary Fine Arts Festival

6:00 P.M.         Artwork viewing

6:30 P.M           Concert

Jacobson Gymnasium

 

Tuesday, May 7, 2013

4-6 Elementary Fine Arts Festival

6:00 P.M.         Artwork viewing

6:30 P.M.         Concert

Jacobson Gymnasium

 

 

 

 

Noteworthy News-Sept. 9

Welcome back to another school year!

 Students in grades K-6 are back to music making again!

On this blog you will see important announcements, concert dates and information, and lesson plan highlights for Elementary Vocal Music.

Please feel free to contact me with any concerns or questions you have about your student's musical education.  I also invite you to come to school and visit a music class and experience what is happening in Room 8 of Jacobson!

Contact information:

Amy Pollitt
School Phone: 641 444-4300 ext. 351
New School email: amy.pollitt@bkcsd.org

Music Magazine Sales have started!!!

All 6th grade students have started selling magazines.
This annual fundraiser is held each fall to raise money for the music department.
Participation is optional.  However, each student in Jacobson derives benefits from the proceeds of this campaign, and it is the only fundraiser we participate in. 
6th grade families will be receiving more communication from me this week.
Magazine sales runs two weeks:  Sept. 9-21.
Thank you in advance for your support!

 

Lesson Plan Highlights:

Kdgn: Students have been working on voice placement and echoing short rhythmic and melodic phrases. We are learning poems and chants to encourage proper behavior in the classroom.

Song material:  The Hello Song, Teddy Bear, We Can Make a Circle, Hallway Rap, Eyes Up, My Hands.
Movement activities: Statues, Loopity Loo, Hand Jivin', If You're Happy and You Know It.
Extension Activities: Instrument Land and Kid Songs (BINGO and I Had Me a Cat)

First and Second Grade: Students have been working on tone matching, phrasing, vowel placement, and rhythmic patterns though traditional American singing games.

Song material: The Farmer in the Dell, Old MacDonald, The Swinging Farmer, A Tisket a Tasket.
Movement activities: Loopity Loo, The Kermit Toss Game, Statues.
2nd graders are learning to read rhythm charts with Kodaly language (quarter and beamed eighth notes) and learning to play simple accompanying patterns (ostinati) on shakers and drums.

 

Third and Fourth Grade: Students have been working on a traditional Canadian folk song, "Land of the Silver Birch." Students have learned to read in stanza form, sing in the pentatonic scale, and play patterns in 4/4 meter. Students will learn/read different accompanying ostinati patterns on drums, boomwackers, Orff xylophones, and drums.  Assessment on this unit will take place next week. Please refer to your Curriculum handbook for music standards and benchmarks.

 

Fifth and Sixth Grade: Students viewed a YouTube video to introduce the song material for this unit on melody and counter melody. Students have learned the Roger Whittaker song "New World in the Morning" in the key of C Major.  Each student has identified the pitches C, E, and G on a counter melody worksheet and have learned to play the counter melody on boomwackers. This week students will learn to play it on Orff xylophones and have the opportunity to play it on a keyboard or piano, as well.  Assessment on this unit will begin next week and includes singing, playing/reading, and written reflection.

 

6th grade chorus meets from 2:45-3:15 on each Blue Day.

5th grade chorus meets from 2:35-3:15 on each Green Day.
Both choirs are working on posture, breathing, sight reading, Solfege hand signals, singing in rounds and partner songs.  ( 6th graders have begun work on 2 part singing )
All 5/6 students are in chorus, as singing in choir is an extension of the 5/6 General Music curriculum.

Next post......look for......

2012-2013 concert dates

  A call for volunteers
   Mrs. Pollitt's Mission Statement
      Music Class Rewards Menu

Message from the music room: Life has Rules:Play Fair (poster on the door)

 

 

 

 

 

K-2 Fine Arts Festival Program Jacobson Gym Tuesday, March 6

Jacobson Elementary K-2 Fine Arts Festival

Tuesday, March 6, 2012

Lynnette Clark- Art Instructor

Amy Pollitt –Music Instructor

Kay Trampel-Music Instructor

KINDGERGARTEN SHOWCASE- 1:30

            Say Hello

            Copy Cat

            Rhythm Stick Routines

                        Music, Music, Music

                        Chicken Fat

            Statues (Fundamental Movement)

            Hokey Pokey (Family Interaction)

FIRST GRADE SHOWCASE-2:00

            Ribbon Stick Routines

                        Dance of the Sugar Plum Fairy

                        Tomorrow

            Make a Rhyme, Make a Move

            Alligator Purse

                King of the Jungle/The Little Mouse

            Marching Fun (Family Interaction)

SECOND GRADE SHOWCASE-2:30

            The Hello Song

            Rhythm Hoop Routines

                        Russian Dance

                        Ease On Down the Road

            Parachute Demonstrations/Pink Panther

            Carnavalito

            Seven Jumps (Family Interaction)

PLEASE TAKE YOUR STUDENT’S ARTWORK HOME WITH YOU FOLLOWING THE SHOWCASE

Lesson Plans Feb. 27-Mar. 3

Kdgn: Students had exploratory time in the keyboard lab on Tuesday and spent Thursday in the gym practicing for the K-2 Fine Arts Festival.
KINDERGARTEN FINE ARTS FESTIVAL SHOWCASE WILL BE HELD ON TUESDAY, MARCH 6 @ 1:30 IN THE JACOBSON GYM.

First Grade: Students spent both days in the gym practicing for the Fine Arts Festival.  Work concentrated on the learning of the "reel" part of Bow Belinda folk dance and refining ribbon stick
 routines
FIRST GRADE FINE ARTS FESTIVAL SHOWCASE WILL BE HELD ON TUESDAY, MARCH 6, @ 2:00 IN THE JACOBSON GYM.

Second Grade: Students worked in the keyboard lab learning the C position with D as a locator.
Students worked on red and black hand finger numbers and spent 2 class periods in the gym practicing the rhythm hoop routines, the parachute activities, and instrument parts for Carnavalito.
SECOND GRADE FINE ARTS FESTIVAL SHOWCASE WILL BE HELD ON TUESDAY, MARCH 6, @ 2:30 IN THE JACOBSON GYM.

Third Grade: Students worked in the keyboard lab on finger numbers with red and black hands using partners to quiz and challenge each other.  Song material: Hot Cross Buns, Love Somebody, and Mary Had Little Lamb.

Fourth Grade: Students worked on the 5 finger extension to play songs with the pitch A.  Song material: Twinkle, Twinkle, Little Star and Yellow Submarine.  Students were introduced to the symbols for glissando and trill and created a class non-traditional symbol composition for practice.

Fifth Grade:  Students continued to work on reading songs with the 5 finger extension and songs with 2 hands in a shared C position.  Song material: Yellow Submarine and Yankee Doodle.  Students who needed to play Ode to Joy for assessment did so during exploratory time.  Students were introduced to the concept of chords and learned how to play a C chord with their black (left) hand.

Sixth Grade: Students worked on their non-traditional composition for 2 class periods. In addition,
Students continued to work on reading songs with the 5 finger extension and songs with 2 hands in a shared C position. Song material: Yellow Submarine and Yankee Doodle. Students were introduced to the concept of chords and learned how to play a C chord  and a G with their black (left) hand.

Fifth and Sixth Grade chorus: Students auditioned for speaking parts and signed up for committees for the upcoming spring musical "Compose Yourself" and rehearsals for musical numbers will begin next Tuesday, March 7.

Lesson plans Feb. 20-24

Kdgn:Students worked on preparing for the upcoming Fine Arts festival and worked on listening skills in preparation to study in the piano keyboard lab.

First grade: Students worked on the following concepts in the piano keyboard lab: red/black hand, high and low position, small and large clusters, and finding the locator key of D and worked on the folk dance, Bow Belinda in preparation for the upcoming Fine Arts festival.

Second grade: Students reviewed key concepts in the keyboard lab, worked on rhythm hoop routines for the upcoming Fine Arts Festival.

Third grade: Students reviewed the song Eddie Kootchie, sang in the Celebrate America sing, worked on
small and large clusters in the keyboard lab and participated in Jump  Rope for Heart.

Fourth Grade: Students created and played a class composition with small and large clusters in the keyboard lab, sang in the Celebrate America sing, and had time for exploring on piano keyboards.

Fifth Grade: Students took their 13 music symbol test, practiced for Ode to Joy assessment, and took the performance assessment on Friday.

Sixth Grade: Students took their written assessment on West Side story one class period and took their listening assessment on the second period.

5/6 chorus: Students lead the 3/4 in the Celebrate America sing on Monday and spent one period with a read through for the opening scene of the musical "Compose Yourself"
Auditions for speaking parts will be held next week.

Jacobson K-2 Fine Arts Festival

Tuesday, March 6^th

The Fine Arts Festival allows students to share the skills they learn and practice in Art, Music and Physical Education to family and friends.

This event will be held in the Jacobson Gym and will showcase all students in grades K-2.

The doors will open for artwork viewing at 1:00.

The Kindergarten showcase will begin at 1:30.

The First grade showcase will begin at 2:00.

The Second grade showcase will begin at 2:30.

Each program will be about 20 minutes long and will conclude with an interactive activity.

Family members are asked to take their student's artwork home following each grade level program.

We look forward to seeing you on the afternoon of March 6^th as we celebrate the Fine Arts/Physical Education in our school!

Lynnette Clark-Art Instructor

Amy Pollitt-Vocal Music Instructor

Kay Trampel-Physical Education Instructor

1:30.

Special Events-Please Note!!

Jacobson families-
Please note the upcoming musical events that will take place in the next few weeks.

Monday, February 20th
Celebrate America! Sing-a-long
This event will take place in the Jacobson Gym from 2:30 -3:00.
The 5/6 chorus will lead the 3/4 students and  community members in festive singing.
We will be celebrating President's Day with patriotic and American folk songs.
Please plan to join us.
Lyric sheets will be provided.

Monday, February 27th.
North Central ICDA 5/6 Honor Choir
The following 6th grade singers have been selected to sing at this festival.
Lacey Graham
Jordan Heiden
Stefany Naranjo
Elizabeth Nelson
Chelsea Sayer
Briana Ver Helst
Morgan Schlichting
Colton Richardson

Rehearsals and concert to be held in the NIACC auditorium.
Concert begins at 7 P.M. and will be conducted by Barbara Sletto from Des Moines.
Admission for the concert which features singers from North central Iowa:
$4 for adults and $2 for students grades K-12.
Snow date: Monday, March 5.

Jacobson K-2 Fine Arts Festival
Tuesday, March 6th
This event will be held in the Jacobson Gym and will showcase all students in grades K-2.
The doors will open for artwork viewing at 1:00.
The Kdgn showcase will begin at 1:30.
The First grade showcase will begin at 2:00.
The Second grade showcase will begin at 2:30.


Each program will be about 20 minutes long and will conclude with an interactive activity.
Family members are encouraged to take their student's artwork home following each grade level program.

Look for notes going home next week and more information in the Belmond-Independent and on the BK website.

Lesson plans Feb. 13-17

Kdgn: Students worked on identifying instrument tones by listening to piano music by David Wright while coloring a piano worksheet (timbre in music).  Students played the Valentine game "Love Somebody" and "Won't You Be My Valentine" working on the fundamental movement of skipping.
Students viewed the rest of the Wee Sing movie performing the songs of Loopity Loo and Head, Shoulders, Knees and Toes.  Students were introduced to the recorded music of Carnavalito and began to learn how to play an ostinato pattern on drums, maracas, and rhythm sticks.  Students also reviewed the tone matching game of Doggie, doggie, where's my bone.

First Grade: Students played the Valentine game "Love Somebody" and "Won't You Be My Valentine" working on the fundamental movement of skipping.
Students viewed the rest of the Wee Sing movie performing the songs of Loopity Loo and Head, Shoulders, Knees and Toes. Students were introduced to the recorded music of Carnavalito and began to learn how to play an ostinato pattern on drums, maracas, and rhythm sticks.  Students learned to identify themes in the recorded music.  Students reviewed melodic patterns in the minor mode by singing the songs  King of the Jungle and The Little Mouse using Solfege hand signals for La, Do, and Mi.

Second Grade: Students reviewed the singing of Old Abe Lincoln and Love Somebody.  Students had a combined music/PE period on Wed. and worked on their Rhythm Hoop routine and learned the dance 7 Jumps.  The music taught them the musical concept of accelerando...music starting at a slow tempo and gradually increasing in speed.  Students will be performing both pieces at the Fine Arts Festival on March 6.  Students prepared for the return of the keyboard lab on Friday and rotated in trios to all keyboards and pianos playing small and large clusters and finding the key D on a keyboard.

Third Grade: Due to the Valentine's parties on Tuesday, the entire 3rd grade met in the gym to work on their jump roping skills for the upcoming Jump Rope for Heart on Feb. 24.  Students had time at the end of the period to review their Heart of Rock and Roll routines. On Thursday students took their first rhythmic dictation with practice on the Promethean board.  Students reviewed the singing of "Eddie Kootchie" and completed their assessment cards for this unit.

Fourth Grade:Students reviewed lines of the treble clef and singing of patriotic songs in preparation for the upcoming Celebrate America sing. On Wednesday (due to early out) students worked in the gym preparing for the upcoming Jump Rope for Heart.  Fourth grade classes were broken into 2 groups (A and B) mixing students from both 4th grade classes.  They will remain in these groups for the next 5 weeks for music and PE classes.  On Friday students played the mixer game "I like My Neighbor" to establish new relationships in the group and strengthen listening skills.  Students also reviewed keyboard concepts.

Fifth Grade: Students only had one music period this week, due to a double period that was used by Mrs. Trampel and Nurse Dee for the maturation talks on Thursday.  On Tuesday students were allowed time to practice for their upcoming Ode to Joy performance test that will be on Monday, Feb. 20.

Sixth Grade: Students finished their study guides for Act two of West Side Story on Monday and viewed the movie on Wednesday and Friday in class.  (Wednesday's viewing used a double period)
Students will take their written and listening assessment for this unit on Tuesday, Feb. 21st.

Chorus:  Students worked in the gym, practicing for the Celebrate America sing.  On Friday the entire 5/6 chorus had a dress rehearsal in the gym.  The public is invited to attend this special event that will be held in the Jacobson gym on Monday, Feb. 20 from 2:30-3:00.

Lesson plans Feb. 6-10

Kdgn: Students played the Valentine game "Love Somebody" working on tone matching skills with the tones of Do, Re, Mi, Fa, and Sol.  Students were assessed for pitch matching as they sang solo responses in the game.  Students also worked on rhythm stick routines and the movement activity Copy Cat.
Students viewed the first part of the Wee Sing movie A Happy Party and sang interactively to the songs: BINGO, Old MacDonald, The More We Get Together.

First Grade: Students  played the Valentine game "Love Somebody" working on tone matching skills with the tones of Do, Re, Mi, Fa, and Sol.  Students read an accompanying Promethean chart and began to identify how melodies move by skips and by steps.  Students played an interactive listening game called "Scales" and they responded to moving steps of the major scale by lying on their backs and moving legs and arms to ascending and descending scales played on bells and piano by the instructor.
Students worked in the gym on their ribbon stick routines in preparation for the upcoming Fine Arts Festival.

Second Grade: Students worked on the song "Old Abe Lincoln" learning the melody and the counter melody.  Students also played the Valentine game "Love Somebody" and read the pitches on a Promethean chart.  Students learned how to play the entire song on the melody bells by reading pitch names and identifying similar and different phrases in the melody.

Third Grade : Students finished their movement assessment, performing their choreographed routines to Heart of Rock and Roll in front of their classmates: identifying introduction, verse, chorus, and coda through different movements.  Students were introduced to the song "Eddie Kootchie" and began learning repeat sign and fermatas as they appear in the music.

Fourth Grade: Students were introduced to the song material "Try a Little Kindness" by viewing a YouTube performance by the artist Glen Campbell.  Students also reviewed the singing of " The Drinking Gourd" and minor patterns in the song.  Students reviewed the lines of the treble clef by rotating through learning stations and interactive learning at the Promethean board and kinesthetic games like the Human Staff.

Fifth Grade: Students reviewed music road signs through interactive Promethean charts. All symbols will appear in the next performance assessment.  Students also listened to the fourth movement of Beethoven's 9th symphony and created individual sketches while listening.  Students worked on the melody of the Ode to Joy on melody bells for one class period and on the second period worked in pairs rotating through learning stations on keyboards, pianos, Orff xylophones, and bells to practice playing the Beethoven classic and prepare for assessment.

Sixth Grade: Students continued their work on the musical West Side Story.  Students were introduced to the scenes and songs in Act One.  Students took notes on a study guide and were exposed to the lyrics of songs via the Promethean board.

Chorus: Students continued to prepare for the upcoming Celebrate America sing a long to be held on Monday, Feb. 20.  Rap of the Presidents was the main focus and students viewed a YouTube video titled " The 44 Presidents of the United States of America" to make connections to history.

Lesson Plans Jan. 30-Feb. 3

Kdgn:Students worked on tone matching skills and finished the singing assessment by playing the tone matching game, "Doggie, Where's My Bone?" with students singing individual responses. Students worked on responding to music with fundamental movements to recorded music.

First Grade: Students worked on playing melody bells and reading the Promethean chart for playing the song "The Little Mouse".  Students learned the movement to 2 ribbon stick routines: Dance of the Sugar Plum Fairy and Tomorrow.

Second Grade: Students took 4 assessments based on reading rhythms in 4/4 meter and singing with pitch accuracy and melodic phrasing.  Students played drums, rhythm sticks, sang the folk song "Paw-Paw Patch".  Students also had to notate a quarter note, beamed eighth notes and recognize a rest symbol.

Third Grade: Students were assessed on reading 16th note patterns playing rhythm sticks.  Students also created choreographed dances to the music of "Heart of Rock and Roll" making different movements to each section of the forms: Introduction, Verse, Chorus, and Coda.  Students could choose their own groups members and had time to practice and create their responses to the music.
Assessment will take next week on this assignment.

Fourth Grade: Students reviewed the concepts of musical form and worked on the following song material: The Drinking Gourd, This Land is Your Land, Oh, Susanna, and Yankee Doodle. 4th graders had a sing-a-long on Wed. before early dismissal and spent the music period with Mrs. Trampel on Friday as she assessed their basketball skills.

Fifth Grade: Students practiced and prepared for their Beethoven Buckets game on Tuesday and played the game in the gym on Thursday.  Each team had to answer prepared leveled questions about Beethoven and his music at each station and earned points for answering correctly and shooting baskets.  This was a combined music and PE period.

Sixth Grade: Students began their unit on the musical West Side Story.  Introduction lesson involved creating "Graffiti Wall posters" where students worked in groups recording what they knew about gangs.  On the second day, students played the energizer game "I like my neighbor" and took notes about the characters and setting of the musical.

5/6 Chorus: Singers continue to prepare for the Celebrate America Sing-a-Long that will be held on Monday, Feb. 20 @ 2:30 in the Jacobson gym.  Students worked on the introduction of Fifty-Nifty United States and the Rap of the Presidents.

Lesson Plans Jan. 23-27

Kdgn- Students worked on tone matching with singing of the song, Doggie, Doggie, Where's My Bone?
Movement activities included: Soul Man, The Bleacher Boogie, and Copy Cat.  On Friday, students worked together in the gym preparing for the upcoming Fine Arts Festival.

First Grade-Students worked on tone matching in the minor mode, echoing patterns using La, do, and Mi. They learned the song, The Little Mouse using repeated patterns and reading them on a Promethean chart. They were introduced to melody bells and did movement activities  Soul Man and The Bleacher Boogie.  Students played the tone matching game, Purple Monkey responding with patterns in the minor mode: key of E minor.

Second Grade-Students worked on reading rhythm patterns with quarter notes and rests, beamed eighth notes, half notes and rests by reading the chart Snowflake Patterns.  Students prepared for assessment by playing drums and rhythm sticks and singing the folk song, Paw-Paw Patch.  Movement activities: Soul Man and The Bleacher Boogie.

Third Grade-Students reviewed reading 16th note patterns and prepared for assessment. Students had a sing-a-long  with the entire 3rd grade on Wed. singing Oh, Susanna, Yankee Doodle, and Mrs. Murphy's Chowder.  On Friday student were introduced to the concept of musical form identifying  Introduction, Verses, Choruses (refrains) and Codas in the music Heart of Rock and Roll and Mrs. Murphy's Chowder.  Students created listening maps on the Promethean board using different shapes to represent different parts of the songs.

Fourth Grade: On Tuesday, students did not have music class, as they saw a movie and made preparations for Jump Rope for Heart with Mrs. Trampel.  On Thursday students began the study of the song the Drinking Gourd and had a class discussion about slavery in the south prior to the Civil War.

Fifth and Sixth Grade: worked on music symbol mastery and had lessons on dynamic markings.
Fifth grade began to prepare for their Beethoven Buckets game by reading research packets and playing the game Beethoven by the numbers. (Both grades missed a class period due to late starts on Monday and Tuesday.)

5/6 Choir: Students worked on sight reading 16th notes with a rhythm chart and sight reading song, Dinah.  Students reviewed solfege hand signals, were introduced to low Sol.  Song material: Oh, Susanna, This Land is Your Land, 50 Nifty United States, Take Me Out to the Ball Game, Clementine,
Yankee Doodle, America, Star Spangled Banner.

Lesson Plans Jan. 16-20

Mrs. Pollitt was out of the classroom this week.
Mrs. Lisa Lovgren was the guest teacher Mon.-Thurs.  Fri was a snow day.

Kdgn- worked on the following with CD accompaniment
Hello Song
Copy Cat
Music, Music, Music,
Chicken Fat
Statues
Hokey Pokey

First Grade-saw the move Kids of Character and discussed the 6 pillars of character.

Second Grade- viewed the movie The Marvelous Musical Mansion.

Third Grade and Fourth Grade- worked on the American folk songs Yankee Doodle and Oh, Susanna and reviewed the Star Spangled Banner with CD accompaniment and song booklets.

Fifth Grade- created Cryptic Copland Cartoons with a partner and posted them in the room and tried to solve each other's word puzzles.

Sixth Grade- created the Copland Cartoons and finished a movie about the composer Bizet.

Choruses had open gym time in Mrs. Pollitt's absence.

Lesson plans Jan 3-13

Kdgn: will be reviewing the movement activity "Statues" and learning how to drum the fundamental movement beats on the drum.  Students will be assessed on those two activities, as well as pitch matching.
Students will learn the rhythm stick routine "Small World".
Song material for  will include:  Head, Shoulders, Knees and Toes, The Hap Palmer Hello Song, and The Copy Cat.

First Grade: will begin the study of musical opposites: first studying loud and quiet.
They will be read the Aesop fable of the Lion and the Mouse.  Students will be singing 2 songs in the minor mode: The King of the Jungle and the Little Mouse.  Activities will include reading Promethean charts, playing drums, playing Boomwacker tubes of the pitches D,F, and A, and acting out the parts of the animals through creative movement.  Rhythmic patterns will include the introduction of quarter rests and singing and playing with dynamic expression.  Students will also do a listening chart activity to recorded examples.

Second Grade and Fourth Grade: will begin a unit on rhythm performance in a drum circle.
Students will be learning non-verbal Rhythm games will include : Echo Me, Join Me, Rhythm machine, Boomwacker Madness, Canons and Rounds.  Emphasis will be on listening, analyzing, reading, and performing.  Various recordings will be used and students will begin being drum leaders in the next couple of weeks.

Third Grade: will be learning how to read and play 16th notes.  Students will be working on a rhythm chart with 8 different measures in 4/4 time that include quarter, eighth, and sixteenth notes.  Students will play with rhythm sticks to the recorded music "Heart of Rock and Roll"  Huey Lewis and the News. ( assessment to follow)  Song material that includes 16th note patterns: Mrs. Murphy's Chowder, Agalina Hagalina, and Eddie Cotchie Kootchie.  Students will also be studying the musical form/vocabulary: Verse, Refrain, Introduction, Interlude, and Coda.

Fifth and Sixth Grade: will be reviewing the percussion chart, "Hoedown" by Aaron Copland, playing tambourine, woodblock, rhythm sticks, and triangle.  Performance assessment on 1/9 and 1/10.  Students will read biographical information about Copland, via jigsawing reading strategy, and create a Copland cartoon that will relay their learning to the rest of the class.  Students need to recognize dynamic markings, repeat signs, fermatas, and meter signatures when reading and performing the percussion score.

Blue and Green Choir: will be working on sight reading rhythms in the Rhythm Reader: page 7 exercises 13-17 and perform them as combined patterns.
Song material: Fifty Nifty United States, and various American folk songs from the Songs All Americans Should Know book.

Auditions for 6th graders to be selected to attend the 5/6 North Central Honor Choir will be held on Monday, 1/9 during noon recess. Students must have returned the parent information permission note to be able to audition.
I will be selecting 8 students through a blind audition process to represent our school at this festival.